Lucas George and Shirley
| Type of person | Family |
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THE GAWLER AGRICULTURAL AND FLORICULTURAL SOCIETY INCORPORATED: THE GAWLER SHOW, AS SEEN BY GEORGE AND SHIRLEY LUCAS.
Written by Shirley Lucas (nee Shirley Davidson) 2019, Aged 89, (G Lucas Dec. Aug 2017)
In the Early 1950’s was when I and George first went together to the Gawler Show, held at the Gawler Showground’s, Nixon Terrace, Gawler. A photo was taken of us by the Late Trevor Marchant, “The Photographer” of Gawler, whose premises were in Murray Street Gawler. George would travel in from the farm to pick me up at approximately 10 am and more often than not we would stay at the Gawler Show until closing time at 5 pm. There was a lot of seeing and observing.
The Grandstand was available in the early shows and we would go there to watch the main event with “Horses in Action” on the oval. Later in the afternoon at approximately 3pm,” The Parade” of the Prize winners were paraded around the oval. That of the Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Horses; of special interest to us were the ribbons on them.
The bottom part of the grandstand held the exhibits of “Cakes and Preserves”- Needle work, knitting, dressmaking, millinery, handicrafts, Egg-artistry, junior handicrafts, Photography, Painting, School Posters, homemade wine and beer and Floriculture. All the above exhibits were moved to the new Pavilion when the Grandstand was demolished and a new building took place. The bottom of the grandstand is still used mainly for charities and homemade goods. Also the wool fleeces were exhibited and given 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in the Pavilion.
George would go and inspect the Farm Machinery in which a good number of entries were available for sale. Also there were several cars and utilities for sale. In 2007 The Ute muster competition was held and we had quite a big interest in the results.
Lunchtime we would go down the aisle of the Food Section to get our meal, then find a place to eat it. Also of much interest was the work and the cooking of the C. W. A. Ladies. Their scones and cakes were delicious. They also had a variety of hearty home cooked meals.
For most of our lives, George and I (Shirley Lucas) lived on a two house farm at Kangaroo Flat. Living opposite from George’s parents Alfred (W.A.) Lucas and “Tilly” Doris Lucas. Alfred was a steward for a long time with the sheep section at the show. Our son Russell was born on 5th January 1964, and we still went to the Gawler show each year in August. As Russell grew older, he became interested in building Lego, and entered his creations into the Gawler Show. Russell got 1st and 2nd Prizes in the Show. In 1982 he entered a woven basket that he made for me and won 1st prize and a trophy. Unfortunately, on the Sunday of the show in 1982, we were taking Russell and a friend back to Enfield (Russell made the 1st prize basket there), were we had a car accident in Angle Vale. Russell was killed. George and I were injured; also Russell’s friend was injured. Russell was 18 years old.
George was always interested in the Show and we were Members of the Show. We attended the show for 65 years. There was a big marquee of exhibits mainly from the stores in Gawler, but quite a few from people who had made articles themselves and were selling them: such as hand-made purses etc. Also clothing from different warehouses, hats, uggs boots etc. Outside they had exhibits of old tractors, farm machinery etc.
Later, I learnt cake icing and entered some cakes in the Cake Icing Section gaining either 2nd or 3rd Prizes. I also received 1st Prize for a “Dolly Varden Cake” made for a grandniece. Over the years I became interested in becoming a steward in the cake section, this was very interesting. I was a steward for 23 years. All the entries in the pavilion ran for 4 days. For the stewards of each section in the Pavilion there was a 4 day working –B. On Thursday the men from The Rotary Club and Apex would set up the exhibit tables in the morning.
The stewards would come in and prepare the tables, placing kitchen paper from off the rolls to cover the tables with it, so that the entry tickets could be placed in order to accept the Entries on Friday morning. Most entries from each Section would come in on Friday from 8am and be placed into the correct positions from 12.30 PM. The Judges would then proceed to judge each section with the help of two Stewards who wrote down the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners on the cards etc. The experience of the proceedings helped us all to appreciate the results.
Saturday we were able to go and see the show itself. Then on Sunday, the stewards would assemble about 4.30pm. To give out the prize money to the successful entrants, as well as the Trophies. In 2016, I retired from giving trophies to the Cooking and Decorated cake under 12 years. Also from the novice exhibit champion of floral art.
In the earlier days, there was a lot of Farm Machinery and implements on display also cars and utilities, where one could buy. George found them interesting and helpful. Also, the display of old century machinery was of great interest. George went to see them first, and I would go to the Pavilion to see the results of each section except floricultural, which was only judged at 9am on Saturday Morning. We would have to wait until judging was finished, before we could see the results.
Over the years there was a decline of machinery and cars and marquees took over a lot of the showground. And the earliest farm machinery in the early 1900’s took over displays. We would see the farm machinery; we were all fascinated by the old machinery. We gave the club a small tractor and George called it “Little Peggy”, Massey Pace Maker, we also gave them a Matthew Harris Hay Baler. The group of old machinery is housed at Roseworthy Campus. Also there are steam tractors and engines.
George was always interested in the The Show so that we became longtime Members of the Gawler Show. We were members our whole lives, and went to nearly every show. The men of the Lions Club would “Man” the Entry Gates. The Showman’s Guild of South Australia would help by “Creating the Magic of Sideshow Alley” a great success. The fireworks were amazing. The young and not so young, country and the town would come together and enjoy the events of the Gawler Show.
Dr Bruce Eastick, Mayor of Gawler: Opened The Gawler Show in 1968-1972. Bruce did a lot of work for Gawler over the years.
Printing of Gawler show No.145 August 25th and 26th 2001 Peter Angus of Mallala with his dog, advertising Chunky Custard plus fireworks display for the evening entertainment (National Rural Ambassador)
Printed in Gawler Show Book No.150 Gawler Show Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August 2006. Official Opening by Her Excellency Mrs. Majorie Jackson-Nelson AC CVO MBE, Governor of South Australia at 11am Saturday 26th August. (She was in charge of leukemia funding for 40 years)
Official Opening for September 1st and 2nd in 2007 was Mr. John Lush, Past President, Farmers Federation Printed in the Gawler Show Book. No. 151 year show
Printed in Showbook No.155 Saturday 27th, Sunday 28th 2011 Official opening at 11 am by Belinda Cay, Agricultural Science Communicator
Printed in Showbook No. 156 Gawler Show Saturday 1st Sunday 2nd 2012;-Official Opening at 1100am. Saturday by media personality Amanda Blair
Printed in Showbook No. 157 Gawler Show Saturday 31St and 1st September 2013. Opening at 11am Saturday by Brian Sambell, Mayor of Gawler
Printed in Showbook No.158 Gawler Show;-August 30th, 31st August 2014. Opening the Show at 11.00am Saturday 30th by Professor Phil Hynd. Animal Science , Roseworthy Campus
2016 Printed in Showbook No. 160 Gawler Show August 27th & 28th The Show was opened at 11.15 am by His Excellency the Honorable Hieu Van Le Governor of South Australia
These Shows were the last ones that George and I attended. In 2016 George was 93 years old, I was 86. We used our gophers to get to the sights of the show, which we were able to see. We then road our gophers into the new Nixon Restaurant which had been built in place of the dog pavilion by the oval.
click here to see the photos relating to George and Shirley
click here for Shirley's oral history
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